Travel diary
In the heart of Corsica's nature park, the unspoilt village of Zonza has become a haven for nature lovers.
It is the gateway to all the treasures of the Alta Rocca, also known as the Land of the Lords.
With its immense stretches of mineral land, this very unspoilt part of Corsica falls somewhere between the American Rockies and the Italian Dolomites and, at the foot of the Aiguilles de Bavella and the Incudine, is home to stages 13 and 14 of the legendary GR20.
Bounded by the village of L'Ospédale with its dam nestled in a magnificent forest of Laricio pines, by the magnificent Aiguilles de Bavella enclosing a racecourse both magical and improbable, and by the spectacular Cuscionu plateau, home to an exceptionally diverse range of flora and fauna.
Most villages have preserved their rich heritage, and as you drive along the small, shady mountain roads you will come across traditional sheepfolds, oil mills, beautiful fountains, Genoese bridges, Romanesque churches, old wash-houses, bread ovens, chapels and convents.
Zonza is also the ideal starting point for exploring the many hiking trails, most of which are reclaimed mule tracks from the olden days, offering a close-up view of the Alta Rocca.
Just a short distance away from the Domaine Le Mouflon d’Or, the COSCIONE plateau, a wide stretch of streams, pozzines, pastures and meadows, is an El Dorado for wild horse to roam free.
